Within the specific technical field, it is desirable to provide tripods which can satisfy the conflicting requirements of minimized size when closed up or fully retracted and of maximized positioning height when the tripod is opened out or fully extended. A constructional limitation typical of known tripods results from the fact that each leg of the tripod is articulated to the spider by a pin extending through the first leg section; this obstructs the further sections which are fitted telescopically in the first, affecting their useful length and limiting their extension.
A first known tripod solution which pursues this aim is described in European Patent Application EP 1122486. In order to maximize the positioning height of the fully extended tripod, this solution maximizes the length of each leg section of the tripod by using an articulation of the legs to the spider which is achieved by opposed appendages projecting radially from a cap fitted on the top of the leg section articulated to the spider. This solution affords the advantage of making the best use of the telescopic lengthening of the legs, permitting optimal utilization of the space inside the telescopic extensions.
However, even with this solution, the tripod is still quite bulky in the fully retracted condition.